About this vendor
Let's make a STATEment with your wedding!
The Indiana State Museum is a spacious and versatile event venue located within the White River State Park in Indianapolis, Indiana. Our venue offers stunning architecture, sweeping views, and ample wedding photography opportunities for your wedding day! Our experienced event team is dedicated to working with you to make your dream day come to life.
Facilities and Capacity:
We offer multiple spaces, including both indoor and outdoor options, for you to host your wedding celebration, rehearsal dinner and day after brunch! Your day is special, so we only host 1 wedding per night! If your wedding is planned outdoors, we will always have an indoor back up space for you and your guests!
1. Governor Frank & Judy O’Bannon Great Hall (indoor and outdoor space): Seats up to 350 guests
2. Farmers Market Cafe and Terrace (indoor and outdoor space): Seats up to 100 guests
3. Rapp Reception Hall (indoor space with a museum ambience): Seats up to 100 guests
4. Canal Overlook Bridge (indoor space with an outdoor ambience): Seats up to 120 guests
5. L.S. Ayres Tea Room (indoor space with a vintage ambience): Seats up to 50 guests
6. West Canal Terrace (outdoor space with a modern ambience): Seats up to 50 guests
7. Redbud Grove (outdoor space with a garden ambience): Seats up to 100 guests
8. Meeting rooms: Board room (seats 20), Museum Conference Room (seats 60), Dean and Barbara White Auditorium (seats 240), Foundation Conference Room (seats 15), & Admin Conference Room (seats 6).
Additional rental spaces are available across the state of Indiana at our state historic sites! Options include both in- and outdoor spaces offering lakeside retreats, beautiful gardens, masterful architecture, cozy intimate spaces and more. https://www.indianamuseum.org/facility-rentals/
Services Offered:
You can utilize the dedicated event planners on-site to assist with the preparation and execution of their special day. We provide get-ready rooms for you and your wedding party to prepare in comfort and style. Catering and beverage services (through Kahn's Catering) can be arranged, along with setup and cleanup of events held here. Other vendors, such as photographer, videographer, decorator and florist, are welcome to work alongside our event professional to make your wedding day UNFORGETABLE! We also allow pets to be part of special celebrations because they are your family too!
Amenities + details
Ceremony Area
Dressing Room
Handicap Accessible
Indoor Event Space
Liability Insurance
On-Site Accommodations
Outdoor Event Space
Reception Area
Wireless Internet
Covered Outdoors Space
Ceremony Types
- Civil Union
- Commitment Ceremony
- Elopement
- Interfaith Ceremony
- Non-Religious Ceremony
- Religious Ceremony
Settings
- Beach
- Waterfront
- Garden
- Historic Venue
- Museum
- Park
Venue Service Offerings
- Bar & Drinks
- Food & Catering
- Planning
- Se Habla Español
- Service Staff
Reviews
Your trust is our goal. Our community relies on honest reviews to help
you make those big decisions with ease.
4.9
out of 5.032 reviews
Erica and Beth were absolutely amazing. Highly recommend!
Beautiful venue, so many compliments from friends and family! The venue and mmm had great indoor and outdoor options. Everything ran smoothly with great communication from staff - ...
very helpful any and everything. Couldn’t recommend this venue enough.
We had our March 2023 reception at the ISM and it was awesome! From the initial tour to answering our billions of questions the staff (Erica) was responsive, helpful and profession...
al. While the weather wasn't entirely cooperative the indoor spaces are just as lovely and offer that elegant downtown feel. I highly recommend them- we had such a low stress experience and the outcome was priceless!
This review will be a bit long because of how many positive things I have to say. We had a spectacular time holding our wedding at the Indiana State Museum! Our ceremony took place...
on the Canal Overlook Bridge, cocktail hour took place at the entry of the bridge, and the reception was in th Farmer's Market Cafe. The variety of locations for photos was terrific. We have some beautiful shots in the L.S. Ayres Tea Room and out by the Canal. The museum's downtown location is nice for people traveling in for the event because there are plenty of hotel options. Erica worked with us throughout the planning stages and was extremely helpful in coordinating the event. She was always available to answer questions, and she was there at the rehearsal and the day of to help everything run smoothly. We had heard good things about Kahn's Catering, which is their exclusive food vendor, but we were not initially sure how we felt about having to use one vendor. I cannot emphasize how foolish we were to think that because Kahn's selection was amazing and the service was impeccable. Brianna and the team we worked with were so well prepared, and they worked hard to make sure we could enjoy our day fully. Before our dinner, I mentioned in passing that my throat was hoarse from all of the talking, and after we'd sat down they brought out a selection of hot teas for me! It was that kind of attention to detail that meant that we could enjoy our wedding without worries. It is a unique and memorable location, and the team there is top notch. I would highly recommend hosting your wedding or event at the Indiana State Museum.
This was THE PERFECT VENUE for my daughter's wedding. We used the Canal Overlook Bridge for the ceremony and the Rapp Reception Hall for the celebration. This is beautiful, flexibl...
e space. The evening's flow was effortless.
Even more, the ISM staff was accommodating and flexible. I was not the easiest mother of the bride, primarily because I do not live in Indianapolis. Beth, in particular, made it easy for me to meet with her, as needed. They had limited space for us to store some wedding decorations for three days prior to our event. Although they were a bit hesitant to do this- we were lucky that there were no conflicting events- it made things SO EASY for us and let me sleep at night prior to the wedding not worrying how we would get everything there. I have nothing but great things to say about the museum and the people who work there. Several weeks before our event, I stopped by the museum to again see the space. Although it was closed, the head of museum security took me up to see the space. WOW.
The location could not be better, either. Most of our guests were from out of town, so we stayed at the Marriott properties, directly across the street. There was so much for our guests to do in the area, without a car, too. I would book there again, in a second, and recommend it, without reservation,
Excellent place to hold a wedding ceremony! They were SO HELPFUL! They really work hard to make sure everything is in place and flowing smoothly. I can't thank them enough for bein...
g so flexible during the pandemic. They made sure everything was safe, clean and efficient.
We already loved the Indiana State Museum, so having it for our wedding venue was a no-brainer!
We worked with both Melissa and Erica and both were wonderful and helpful throughou...
t the process. They were super quick to respond to my many questions while planning.
They have a few different places within the museum that you can use for the ceremony, cocktail hour, and reception, as well as many cool photo ops! They require you use Kahn's catering (super nice but expensive), but everyone clearly knows what they're doing and has worked together before - the process went so smoothly throughout the evening.
You can take care of your guest parking which we appreciated; there was plenty of parking in the White River parking garage.
A year-long membership is included which is maybe our favorite part as it is such a great museum and we go there regularly already.
If it's in your budget - we highly recommend! (Especially if you love a good museum!)
We had our wedding and reception at the Indiana State Museum, and it was fantastic! Erica helped us throughout the planning process to make sure everything was the way we wanted, a...
nd coordinated the rehearsal the evening before the wedding. The ISM also took care of all of the set up which made things much more laid back for us the day of the wedding. From the ceremony on the overlook bridge, to the cocktail hour on the canal, to the reception itself, everything was coordinated perfectly. And Kahn's, the State Museum's exclusive caterer, was abs absolutely fantastic as well! I have nothing but good things to say about our experience with the Indiana State Museum, and highly recommend it!
The museum was the perfect spot for our wedding. It was incredible to be able to have everything in one place, yet each part felt like a totally different venue! The coordinators w...
ere amazing as well. They handled EVERYTHING. If you get married at the state museum and someone tells you that you NEED a day of coordinator... They are wrong! The museum’s coordinators do everything and are so helpful. Breathtaking views for the outdoor ceremony, and large enough space for a huge dance floor. Wouldn’t change a thing!
Our wedding at the ISM was amazing. Erica was so wonderful to work with. Kahn's catering was also phenomenal, the food was good, the cake (from Confectionairres) was AMAZING - we g...
ot about a million complements on the cake, and the venue itself is...perfect. So many spots for photos, such an excellent view of indianapolis, perfectly located across the street from hotels for guests and on the canal. The day of our wedding there was a lantern festival where they floated lanterns down the canal and although having a crowd across the street was a tad strange at first the lanterns made a magical edition to our sunset photos and our guests loved it. Such a great place for a really wonderful day.
The Indiana State Museum was elegant and picturesque! The ceremony and reception were memorable! They were accommodating and helpful. It was the perfect place to have my daughter's...
destination wedding!
The museum was the second venue we looked at and as we looked at more, we kept comparing everything back to it. There is no other venue in Indy like the State Museum. The Great Hal...
l is such a beautiful space and all of our guests were so amazed by the full curtain wall of windows along the canal. With the different levels, we had guests venture up during the reception to overlook everything. We had our ceremony inside due to weather and the fact there was a 5k in Military park (wish we would've been informed about that before the day of). Erica was so great to work with. She responded quickly and was a great coordinator the day of as well. With our intro into the reception, the staircase and the raising of the skrims was epic! Our guests loved it! I couldn't recommend this venue enough, it is absolutely beautiful. And with so many out of town guests, they were so impressed with museum and canal. And Kahn's catering is delicious - don't be threatened by the fact that you have to go with them. Their food was great!
My husband and I got married at the Indiana State Museum this past August and it was absolutely wonderful! Erica was amazing- she was quick to respond to e-mails and worked well wi...
th us up to and during the wedding. Although the steam clock was missing, we were able to have a wonderful ceremony up on the terrace with the backdrop of the city skyline. The staircase into the Great Hall makes for a grand reception entrance of the wedding party and bride/groom. We highly recommend this venue for its price, location, and amazing coordinator! (For people concerned about the mandatory catering thru Kahn's, don't be ~ their food and cake is absolutely stunning and delicious!)
The ISM is an absolutely gorgeous venue! Erica was wonderful to work with and always took the time to meet with me when requested. There were a few times where it took a little bit...
longer for her to respond via email, but other that, Erica is very easy to work with, and very experienced and knowledgeable! She was also great in helping with our day of coordinator set up everything and making sure that everything ran smoothly. Our friends and family loved the venue and we're so glad we decided to go with the ISM.
A surprise perk that came with booking the ISM was the year-long membership to the museum (and other museums across the US)! We are huge museum geeks. :-)
Highly recommend!! Gorgeous venue. Great space for the amount of people we had. It was everything I dreamed of. Erica was amazing, she helped organize everything and made sure ever...
ything went smoothly throughout.
Absolutely Wonderful! My daughter's wedding and reception were held here. We worked with Erica, who was fantastic in her attention to detail and made sure that this truly was our w...
edding. My daughter was married on the canal overlook bridge which was beautiful. The cocktails were in the Rapp Reception Hall with it's spectacular view of the city. The dinner and dancing were in the great hall. We loved the bistro lights and the uplighting. It was just perfect! Thank you Erica for everything!
ISM was the perfect place for our ceremony and reception! We originally met with and worked with Erica who was great but then she had to be out of town our wedding weekend so Beth ...
took over. Beth was wonderful! There was great communication allthrougout the planning process and day of. They were both quick to respond to emails and keep me up to date and on track. Beth was such an incredibly sweet and caring vendor to work with and pulled some strings for me the day of that just completely overwhelmed me with gratitude and confirmed all over why we picked ISM. the venue is truly a wow factor for the ceremony. When I came down the steps on the terrace everyone said it looked like something out of a movie and the great hall for the reception was the perfect place to dance the night away. I could not be more pleased with how everything turned out. Thank you Beth for all your hard work and thoughtfulness to make our day a dream come true!
My husband and I had our July wedding ceremony and reception at the ISM. We worked with Erica and an events intern. Both were wonderful to work with. I was so excited to have my c...
eremony on the canal with the Indy skyline in the background. This venue was simply stunning. They provide large rooms for the bride and groom to use to get ready in. I would highly recommend this venue to anyone.
Our wedding was a Dream! We had the ceremony outside on the canal and the reception in the grand hall with the Indiana statue. The staff was amazing and so wonderful!
We unfortunately had an issue with construction during the date of our wedding ceremony, after some phone calls and onsite discussions, the staff at ISM went above and beyond to co...
me up with a solution that met our needs and allowed us to hold our wedding at our original site. The ceremony ultimately turned out beautifully and we had a great day!
Beth and Erica are AMAZING. We worked mostly with Beth. She is clearly genuine and will go out of her way to make your day perfect. Leading up to the day-of, she was in constant co...
ntact with us and gave us a lot of peace of mind in knowing everything would be taken care of and perfect
The ISM was a great spot for our small wedding and reception. The multiple space options allowed us to have each part of the evening in a different location. Erica and team did a...
great job on the day of to make sure everything went flawless.
Unfortunately there was another event happening the same day which hampered access to some of the places we would have liked to take photos. We were also looking forward to having access to galleries in the space we rented but they were in transition and unavailable at the time of our event.
We were 100% satisfied with our ceremony at the Indiana State Museum on the upper terrace. Even though Oktoberfest was rocking out across the canal (who wouldn't want Bohemian Rhas...
ody playing during your vows??) it was beautiful. They even allowed our puppies to walk down the aisle! Erica W. was very professional and helped us with all the logistic! Thank you! I would recommend anyone go to the ISM for their wedding.
The ISM was such a perfect location for our wedding reception. My husband and I were going for an industrial look and the ISM definitely has that going for it. Lots of metal and st...
one with high ceilings made the reception space feel large, however it was still intimate. We had 200 guests and everyone was comfortably seated in the space. I had great reviews from friends and family as well. They thought it was a beautiful reception. I can't thank Erica and the staff enough for all of their assistance throughout the process of planning the wedding! Would definitely recommend looking into the state museum. Follow them on Facebook too! The price I provided was rental for the Frank O' Bannon Great Hall.
My husband and I are so glad we chose the Indiana State Museum as our venue. The space is grand and gorgeous. The staff was eager to make the day special and treated us, our family...
, and our guests extraordinarily. The ceremony along the canal was romantic and elegant, even with some noise from the neighbouring park. In fact, the few onlookers made the whole occasion feel that much more special. The ISM offers other more intimate venues, but if you're looking for the wow-fact, definitely go outdoors. I didn't attend the cocktail hour in the Rapp Reception Hall, but guests said the hour flew by since the food, drinks, and exhibit were all so wonderful! The wedding party had a private cocktail hour, which gave my husband and I a little bit of time to relax with our VIPs before we all became party hosts. The Great Hall made the whole evening so much fun. Though it is big and beautiful, the space starts feeling like a private party as the night goes on.
I cannot recommend the Indiana State Museum highly enough. Erica handled the coordination of the event better than we could have ever hoped. The week of the event, we called and emailed her with all sorts of questions and requests; she was responsive and terrifically helpful. Erica and the rest of the team at ISM are awesome and handle obstacles with extreme professionalism. By the end of a very emotional day, they'll feel like family.
Erica was my organizer at the ISM & she did a wonderful job helping make my wedding reception perfect. She helped us add all the personal touches to make the evening one to remembe...
r. We had so many guests say the venue looked breathtaking & it truly did!
The museum is beautiful. It can handle alot of over the top decor, or simplicity and still make a statement. It is setup up to get some beautiful indoor and outdoor pictures.
...
My complaints are that the requests we made for uplighting, napkins, candle placement were all done incorrect. We had discussed the preferred options more than once with the planner she assured us it would be perfect the day of. My hostesses also complained about her being short with them and in helpful.
For the money being spent, I expects things be on point. I also would have appreciated the planner saying good night before she left.
The museum had their own planner who was very hospitable all evening, though less available during the planning stages.
I cannot possibly put into words how amazing our wedding was because of Erica and Katie! They were incredibly professional and always on top of everything. I am a huge control frea...
k but I was able to relax and enjoy my wedding day because I knew all of the details were in their more than capable hands. We were even delayed by 20 minutes because of my hair appointment and Erica and Katie made sure we made up the time so that everything was seamless and smooth. All of the other staff was also very kind and professional. All of the servers and bartenders had huge genuine smiles on their faces all day and made sure everyone had a great time. They even put a ribbon in our wedding colors around the cork from our champagne bottle as a beautiful keepsake. Needless to say the location itself is gorgeous and our pictures look amazing. If I had to do it all over again I would DEFINITELY go with the ISM again. THANK YOU!!!!
Susan, John and Katie handled everything. I didn't have to do anything except tell them what I want. So professional and flexible. I thought it would be expensive, but when we calc...
ulated the numbers we were able to get a better deal at the ISM than at several downtown or Southside locations.
The ISM was the perfect spot for our wedding. The location is fantastic, as well as the view. Everyone that we worked with was professional and attentive. We did not have a single ...
worry on our wedding day. Everything was taken care of, and we just got to enjoy our day! I couldn't have asked for a better day!
I would highly recommend ISM for a wedding reception! My husband and I held our reception there this past August- and it was awesome! The staff is amazing and so helpful! Our pictu...
res were fabulous along the White River Canal and our photographer- who was freaking amazing- utilized the lines of the building and the skyline at night!
Our June 2010 wedding reception at the Indiana State Museum was so expertly coordinated by the staff that my husband and I were able to appreciate our guests without a single worry...
.
The catering staff was beyond professional - we received more compliments on how courteous and respectful they were of our guests.
The set up was perfect, and they worked hand in hand with our cake provider, our DJ, our photographers and our decorating crew.
The Indiana State Museum was also very reasonably priced for the amount of space and attention we received. I would recommend the venue over and over. It was beautiful and stress free!
Contact
650 W. Washington St., Indianapolis, IN
Indiana State Museum